ARLINGTON and ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Amazon.com, Inc, announced this morning that it has chosen Arlington County to establish a major new headquarters. Arlington and the City of Alexandria, after working together for the last year in a unique and unprecedented regional partnership, are announcing that Amazon will locate in National Landing, a newly branded neighborhood encompassing parts of Pentagon City and Crystal City in Arlington and Potomac Yard in Alexandria. The Commonwealth’s announcement also includes news of a new partnership with Virginia Tech to develop a revolutionary Innovation Campus to fill demand for high-tech talent in National Landing and beyond.

“We are proud that Amazon has selected National Landing for a major new headquarters. This is, above all, a validation of our community’s commitment to sustainability, transit-oriented development, affordable housing and diversity,” Arlington County Board Chair Katie Cristol said. “The strength of our workforce coupled with our proximity to the nation’s capital makes us an attractive business location. But Arlington’s real strength is the decades of planning that have produced one of the most vibrant, civically engaged communities in the world. Those plans have paved the way for this investment and we look forward to engaging the Arlington community about Amazon’s plans and how we can grow together.”

“We in Alexandria could not be more excited and proud for Amazon to call National Landing home,” said Alexandria Mayor Allison Silberberg. “Throughout this process, we have worked with our colleagues in Arlington to highlight the collective strengths of our communities – our workforce, education, infrastructure and our unparalleled quality of life – all of which will be strengthened by this new investment from Amazon, the Commonwealth and our localities. Alexandria is an exceptional place to live and work, and we welcome partners who are committed to our continued growth and prosperity. We are thrilled to be able to partner with Virginia Tech as they deliver a world-class innovation campus in Alexandria’s portion of National Landing.”

Amazon will invest approximately $2.5 billion to establish a new headquarters in National Landing, which will create more than 25,000 high paying jobs and occupy 4 million square feet of energy-efficient office space with the opportunity to expand to 8 million square feet over the next 12 years. The National Landing site, one of the National Capital Region’s most accessible mixed-use communities, sits in the heart of an area recognized for having the most highly-educated workforce in the nation and is home to a growing number of companies and agencies contributing to the metro area’s reputation as a technology hub of the East Coast. National Landing, as the name suggests, is situated adjacent to Reagan National Airport and across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C.

“We are looking forward to joining the community and are excited to be creating high-paying jobs in Arlington,” said Holly Sullivan, Amazon Director of WW Economic Development. “We believe that northern Virginia is a great place for our teams to keep inventing on behalf of our customers.”

Regional Collaborative Effort

Today’s announcement successfully concludes a 14-month process that inspired Northern Virginia localities to engage for the first time in a unique multi-jurisdictional partnership. This new regional approach to economic development allowed Arlington, Alexandria, Fairfax County and Loudoun County to present multiple sites to a company under the Northern Virginia brand, highlighting many shared regional assets like workforce, business climate and the innovation economy. This process was led by the Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP) and its commitment to deliver a world-class proposal to Amazon.

“I’m grateful to Governor Northam and his cabinet, the General Assembly’s Major Employment and Investment (MEI) Commission and their staff, Virginia’s university leaders, our amazing local partners, our talented colleagues at VEDP, and many other Virginians for all they have done to make this possible,” said VEDP President and CEO Stephen Moret. “Virginia’s biggest employment growth opportunity in the years ahead will be in tech – from artificial intelligence to cloud computing to cybersecurity, and everything in between. The tech-talent pipeline investments that Governor Northam and the General Assembly are launching will position communities across the Commonwealth for healthier, more diversified economic growth.”

Specifically, for the National Landing proposal, Arlington and Alexandria partnered with property owner and developer JBG SMITH to present Amazon with a compelling 150-acre site – a mixture of existing vacant buildings and developable land – seamlessly connected by a robust transportation network, including three Metrorail stations and a commuter rail station, walking and biking paths. The National Landing proposal offers Amazon the opportunity to establish a major headquarters in a thriving, urban environment. The proposal to Amazon that was crafted by Arlington, Alexandria, JBG SMITH, VEDP, and others can be found online.

“We are incredibly pleased to partner with Amazon on their new headquarters,” said JBG SMITH CEO, Matt Kelly. “Their selection of National Landing is a fantastic outcome for the entire region and reflects the close collaboration between the JBG SMITH team and our partners in Arlington, Alexandria and the Commonwealth of Virginia.”

Amazon’s new home at National Landing builds on the strength and history of an established community with nearly 12 million square feet of existing office space and more than 13,000 residential units that also has exciting growth potential. JBG SMITH owns 6.2 million square feet of existing office space and 2.4 million square feet of existing multifamily, and controls 7.4 million square feet of estimated potential density in National Landing, excluding Amazon’s proposed land purchase. Amazon’s initial development plans focus on JBG SMITH-owned properties in Crystal City and Pentagon City in Arlington County, while the new Virginia Tech Innovation Campus will be developed in the Alexandria portion of the National Landing site. Amazon’s new headquarters and related investments are generally consistent with the communities’ adopted growth plans for the National Landing area in both Arlington and Alexandria, which envision high-density, mixed-use, transit-oriented development.

Virginia Tech Innovation Campus

In Alexandria’s portion of Potomac Yard, Virginia Tech and the Commonwealth intend to provide funding for an Innovation Campus near Amazon’s new headquarters to build a graduate campus in the southern portion of National Landing, specifically targeted at tech talent that will benefit all companies in the Commonwealth. The campus will house master’s and doctoral level programs that dovetail with the industry’s most pressing demands. Degree programs and research opportunities will focus on computer sciences and software engineering, while offering specializations in high-demand areas, including data sciences; analytics and collective decisions; security and the Internet of Things; and technology and policy. The campus will build on the growing innovation economy in Alexandria and Arlington, anchored by the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the National Science Foundation, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and now private sector companies like Amazon.

“Launching the Innovation Campus is a watershed moment for Virginia Tech and a great day for the Commonwealth we are committed to serve,” Virginia Tech President Tim Sands said. “As Virginia’s land-grant institution, we stepped up to claim our role of driving economic development by leveraging our strengths in technology and engineering and building on our strong partnerships in Washington, D.C. The Innovation Campus will bring together the highest-caliber students, world-class faculty, smart ideas and forward-thinking companies.”

Investments in the Community

K-12 and Higher Education: As part of the Commonwealth’s increased investment in the tech-talent pipeline, Arlington and Alexandria public schools will have access to new resources related to computer science education, to be made available statewide. They include: ongoing professional development for current and future teachers; high-quality curriculum and related resources; summer and after-school programming for students; and meaningful career exposure and work-based learning opportunities in high-demand fields.

George Mason University’s Arlington campus will also grow, taking advantage of new performance-based investments for new master’s degree programs in computer science and related fields.

Transportation: A review of available transportation services, facilities and associated capacity indicate that regional and local transit systems have significant unused capacity, even during peak travel periods. As a very transit-focused employer, Amazon is expected to help fill that existing capacity, with most employees utilizing public transit, walking, biking or carpooling each day.

To manage this planned growth, Arlington County and the City of Alexandria are investing $570 million in transportation projects, including rail connections, transit facilities, multi-modal streets and transportation technology serving the site, all of which were planned as part of Board- and Council-approved long-term Capital Improvement Plans. Arlington and Alexandria are also actively pursuing additional funding opportunities to advance investments in this corridor.

To augment these local investments, the Commonwealth will invest up to $195 million of non-general fund money in new or expanded transportation projects to improve mobility in the region, including an additional entrance to the Crystal City Metro station and a south entrance off of Potomac Avenue to the new Potomac Yard Metro station. Other projects include improvements to U.S. Route 1 in Arlington County, a pedestrian bridge from Crystal City to Reagan National Airport and a transitway expansion supporting Pentagon City, Crystal City and Potomac Yard in both Alexandria and Arlington. Additional funding would be available if Amazon creates more than 25,000 jobs.

Housing: Amazon’s choice to locate in National Landing comes as the region is intensifying its efforts to increase housing capacity and making more investments in affordable housing. Arlington and Alexandria already have strong existing commitments to funding and supporting efforts to create, protect and preserve affordable and workforce housing. As part of this project announcement, both communities will fund affordable housing, workforce housing and public infrastructure, bolstered by revenues generated from Amazon’s new presence in their communities. Combined, the communities project investment of at least $150 million over the next decade, resulting in the creation and preservation of 2,000 to 2,400 affordable and workforce units in and around the Crystal City, Pentagon City and Columbia Pike areas and throughout Alexandria.

Direct Investments

Arlington’s proposed direct financial incentive to Amazon is an annual pay-for-performance grant tied to the company meeting 6 million square feet in office occupancy targets over the initial 15 years with a value of approximately $23 million. The incentive comes from a percentage of the new incremental revenue generated by the County’s Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT), which is a tax paid by tourists and business travelers on hotel rooms or other paid lodging.

In addition to direct financial incentives, Arlington County also proposed using a portion of new incremental revenue generated by Amazon’s arrival within the existing Tax Increment Financing (TIF) area to make strategic infrastructure investments in and around National Landing. The estimated new TIF revenue is projected to be $28m over a 10-year period.

The Arlington County Board will vote on a final incentive agreement no earlier than February 2019 and will follow its regular public engagement and hearing process for development decisions.

In order to facilitate the development of Virginia Tech’s Innovation Campus in National Landing, Alexandria has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the university in which the City agreed to work with Virginia Tech to structure a financial plan for development, potentially including local financial support, as well as providing expedited processing for planning and development approvals and permits. The Innovation Campus will be located in the Alexandria portion of National Landing on land owned by investment firm Blackstone Group L.P. real estate fund. The land is commonly referred to as Oakville Triangle and will be developed by Stonebridge Associates. The City will follow its well-established public engagement and hearing processes for any required planning and development decisions, and any other City commitments will be decided on by City Council, following established protocols for consideration and approval.

Arlington Economic Development

Arlington Economic Development (AED), part of Arlington County Government, is dedicated to the preservation and enhancement of an economically competitive and sustainable community, and the creation of exciting, diverse and amenity-rich places. AED provides visionary leadership and superior services to Arlington’s business and arts community, its tourism industry and its real estate development. For more information, visit ArlingtonEconomicDevelopment.com.

Alexandria Economic Development Partnership

The Alexandria Economic Development Partnership (AEDP) is a public-private partnership that works closely with the City of Alexandria management and elected officials to promote Alexandria as a premier location for businesses by capitalizing on its many assets, including multiple Metro stations, historical character and riverfront location to enhance the city’s tax revenue and increase employment opportunities. For more information, visit GrowALX.com.

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Arlington and Alexandria are world-class destinations and business-friendly communities known for a highly-educated workforce, fiscally responsible governments and diverse cultures. Located just across the Potomac River from the decision-making center of Washington, D.C., Arlington and Alexandria work jointly to provide the ideal environments for business, residents and visitors.

To recognize American Heart Month, Hands2Hearts will be conducting a free, mass CPR training event, open to the public at the Fashion Centre at Pentagon City. The event will be from 1-1:30 p.m., on February 14, 2018. Training will occur on all four levels surrounding the center food court.

The public is encouraged to attend and learn the AHA’s Two Steps to Save a Life. There will be opportunity to interact with Arlington County firefighters, paramedics, and Virginia Hospital Center’s healthcare team while they teach hands-only CPR. You will gain confidence in providing life-saving techniques in just a couple of minutes.

The focus of this program is to train people how to recognize a cardiac arrest, request help, and initiate hands-only CPR. If your group is interested in hosting Hands2Hearts at your location, please email Hands2Hearts@arlingtonva.us.

Army will use former Navy Annex site to expand Arlington National Cemetery

County will work with Army to support cemetery expansion

Columbia Pike realignment to move forward

County to work for fair compensation, Freedman’s Village commemoration

The U.S. Army has informed Arlington County that it will no longer pursue a land exchange with the County. The Army has said it will use the entire former Navy Annex site, along Columbia Pike, to expand Arlington National Cemetery.

“While we are disappointed that Arlington County will not receive any land in this area for County needs through a land exchange agreement, we are committed to working with the cemetery to support one of our nation’s most cherished and hallowed sites,” Arlington County Manager Mark Schwartz said.

Cemetery to acquire five acres of Arlington land

The Army’s decision means it intends to retain all federal land at the former Navy Annex. It also will acquire for the cemetery about five acres of public land now owned by Arlington County and more than seven acres of public land now owned by the Commonwealth of Virginia that support the existing transportation network. The Army originally had proposed, and Arlington had worked for years to achieve, a land exchange agreement. The agreement would have provided Arlington with land south of a realigned Columbia Pike that the County had hoped to use to meet a variety of public facility needs.

Columbia Pike, Southgate Road to be realigned

“There will be no land exchange, but Columbia Pike and Southgate Road will be realigned and the Columbia Pike/Washington Boulevard interchange will be modified,” Schwartz said. “The realignment of Columbia Pike and the multimodal improvements that will be made in this corridor not only will improve the transportation network, but also will allow us to upgrade the streetscape that will serve as a fitting boundary for Arlington National Cemetery, the Air Force Memorial, the Pentagon Memorial Visitor’s Center, and other uses in this segment of the Columbia Pike corridor.”

The realigned Southgate Road will carry traffic coming to and from Joint Base Myer Henderson Hall. The Realigned Columbia Pike will be rebuilt in a manner consistent with the County’s Columbia Pike Multimodal Project, as a four-lane roadway with a sidewalk and a shared-use path, improved landscaping, enhanced lighting and undergrounding of utilities.

Navy Annex area, overlaid with agreed Columbia Pike realignment.

Increasing burial space, extending Cemetery closure date

Arlington National Cemetery is projected to run out of burial space in the early 2040s. The roadway realignment and the land that will be acquired from Arlington County and the Commonwealth will provide 38 more acres of contiguous burial space to accommodate approximately 50,000 more burial spaces, extending the closure date of the Cemetery until the mid-2050s, based on the current demand and interment rates.

County to seek compensation, commemoration of Freedman’s Village

The County now will negotiate with the Army to ensure that Arlington and its taxpayers receive fair compensation for the County-owned land as the Army pursues its acquisition, Schwartz said. The County also will work with the Army to commemorate historic Freedman’s Village in a meaningful way at a site as close to the original site of the village, as possible. The original village was located just north of the Navy Annex site.

Freedman’s Village, a camp of former slaves, was established by the federal government in 1863 on the grounds of the Custis and Lee estates, which later became Arlington National Cemetery, the Pentagon and the Navy Annex Building.

The Zoning Ordinance changes adopted by the Board include the type of signs allowed at urban regional shopping centers; the amount of sign area; placement and sign characteristics. Under the amendments, regional shopping centers will be allowed a larger amount of sign area and more flexibility in where signs are placed. They also will be allowed to have freestanding signs and temporary projected images.

“Our two big malls are important to Arlington’s economy and are centers of activity in the Ballston and Pentagon City neighborhoods,” said County Board Chair Libby Garvey. “The County listened to the business community and the neighborhoods and I’m pleased that we were able to move quickly to adopt common-sense changes to the Zoning Ordinance that will encourage these shopping centers to increase their placemaking, be creative with their signage and stay regionally competitive.”

The Board voted unanimously to approve the changes to the Zoning Ordinance To read the staff report, scroll to item No. 39 on the Agenda for the November 5, 2016 County Board Regular Meeting.

Following recommendations of 2015 Retail Plan

The Board’s actions follow the recommendations of the Arlington County Retail Plan, adopted by the Board in July 2015. The plan calls for studying opportunities to reposition and redevelop aging urban regional shopping centers.

The Retail Plan recommends that Ballston Common Mall and Fashion Centre increase placemaking efforts by pulling storefronts to the street; creating multiple entry points and creating activity and attractions on the outside as well as inside. Ballston Mall is currently being redeveloped into Ballston Quarter, incorporating many of the Retail Plan’s recommendations. Fashion Centre also is being expanded and remodeled. To support the redevelopment and repositioning, staff studied the centers’ characteristics and looked at examples throughout the country.

The new regulations are tailored to the unique character of these centers — their built form and the concentration of retail, entertainment and restaurants they offer. They also support the transformation recommended by the Retail Plan by providing more sign area and placement flexibility on facades that have been opened up to the street. The regulations could be used by an urban regional shopping center through an administratively approved comprehensive sign plan.

Community process

The Zoning Ordinance amendments were discussed at a public meeting on April 7, 2016. The amendments also were reviewed by the Zoning Committee of the Planning Commission as well as a number of other stakeholder groups and commissions including the Economic Development Commission, the Arlington Chamber of Commerce Government Relations Committee, the Planning Commission and the Commercial Real Estate Development Group.

The Arlington County Board voted Tuesday to further reduce costs for the Columbia Pike Transit Stations project by choosing a design concept that includes the option of the stations being partially assembled in a factory, rather than built in place. The Board reaffirmed a “kit-of-parts” design concept, which offers high-quality design and materials for the 23 planned stations.

The larger, more accessible transit stations will serve the planned Premium Transit Network for the Pike with near-level boarding, longer platforms, real-time bus arrival information and off-vehicle fare collection. Combining a custom look with standardized parts that can be replaced at lower cost than fully customized structures, the transit stations will help spur economic development along the Pike. They will add to the long-term effort by the County to bring the Pike closer to the feel of a “Main Street” by improving the streetscape, widening sidewalks, creating great public spaces, encouraging ground-floor retail, adding lighting and more.

“The County continues to invest in transforming Columbia Pike into a vibrant Main Street, with rich transit options and a great mix of public spaces, retail, office and residential development, “ Arlington County Board Chair Libby Garvey said. “We believe the approach we have adopted today will bring attractive, durable transit stations along the Pike to serve a premium transit network and help give the Pike a sense of identity.”

The Board considered several options for the transit stations before voting 5-0 at a work session to accept the Manager’s recommendation.

Board retains kit-of-parts design

In May 2014, the County announced a new conceptual kit-of-parts design for the transit stations that reduced costs from the original custom design. The Board later directed the County Manager to investigate options for using prefabricated bus shelters to further reduce costs.

Prefabricated shelters, which can be purchased as off-the-shelf designs from a manufacturer’s catalog, are less expensive than either custom-built shelters or kit-of-parts shelters, but staff found that they offered a shorter useful life, lower capacity and did not meet the design intent of the kit-of-parts option.

The Board voted to approve the staff recommendation that the County adopt a hybrid approach – maintaining the kit-of-parts design and allowing potential contractors to propose different ways to build and install the shelters. Partially assembling the stations at a factory and then installing them on-site could reduce estimated project costs by 14 to 18 percent and minimize construction impacts by reducing the time needed for on-site construction.

Premium Transit Network

The transit stations are a major feature of the County’s planned Premium Transit Network connecting Columbia Pike, Pentagon City and Crystal City. The premium network, included in Arlington’s recently approved 10-year plan for improved bus service, will offer service that is fast, frequent, reliable and easy to use, with features including simplified bus routes, increased weekday and weekend service, and a new direct “one-seat ride” from Skyline to Pentagon City-Crystal City.

The Board approved $13.3 million for the planned 23 stations in the County’s FY 2017-2026 Capital Improvement Plan.

County staff conducted outreach meetings in 2015 for the community to review the transit stations design and provide input on station amenities. Design and construction will be coordinated with the County’s plans for Columbia Pike street improvements and utility undergrounding. Construction of the transit stations is expected to begin in 2018 and proceed in phases through 2021.

Remaking Columbia Pike

The County’s long-range plan, fashioned with broad community involvement over many years, is to remake Columbia Pike by creating vibrant, sustainable neighborhoods with a better mix of office, retail and residential development; preserving affordable housing and creating great public spaces served by robust transportation options. Learn more about Columbia Pike planning on the County website.

Multimodal street improvements are making the Pike a safer, more accessible route for all users. In addition, extensive work is occurring below the roadway to replace aging water and sewer pipes and to relocate existing overhead utilities underground. The next segment of the Pike to be improved will be the west end, from Four Mile Run to the Arlington/Fairfax line, with construction expected to start in spring 2017. At its November meeting, the Board will consider a contract for construction management services for the street improvements and transit stations projects.

Engaging the community in a “Placemaking on the Pike” initiative

During the transit station review, the County Manager initiated a staff working group to look at placemaking on Columbia Pike. The transit stations improvements provide another opportunity to incorporate elements that further define the Pike’s identify. Earlier plans, including the Form Based Code, and public and private investments during the last 15 years have built a framework for such placemaking.

The Board approved the placemaking initiative as a separate project running parallel with the Transit Stations project. County staff will organize the effort and resume a dialogue with the community on placemaking ideas for the station areas and the pathways to transit between the stations.

]]>CORRECTION: County Board Approves 10-Year Plan for Bus Service Improvementshttps://newsroom.arlingtonva.us/release/county-board-approves-10-year-plan-for-bus-service-improvements-2/
Mon, 18 Jul 2016 20:05:41 +0000https://newsroom.arlingtonva.us/?post_type=news_release&p=8803(Correction: Chair Libby Garvey was incorrectly quoted in this release when first issued today. The quote is corrected here to say that “Riders should see much improved service along these important corridors by 2018.” We regret the error).

Improvements will serve all parts of the County

Premium bus service planned for Columbia Pike, Pentagon City and Crystal City

More frequent bus service, more late night and weekend service, better north-south connections, and a new Premium Transit Network along Columbia Pike – this is the new vision for bus service in Arlington. On Saturday the County Board, unanimously adopted a new Transit Development Plan that provides a road map for Arlington Transit and Metrobus service improvements through 2026.

“This plan demonstrates Arlington’s continued commitment to excellent transit service that makes it easier for people to move around the County without a car,” said County Board Chair Libby Garvey. “It includes a plan for improving bus service along Columbia Pike and the Crystal City-Pentagon City corridor that will offer fast, frequent, reliable and easy-to-use bus service. Riders should see much improved service along these important corridors by 2018. We are also planning ahead to make sure we have the capacity to handle anticipated increased ridership along the Pike in the future.”

The Commonwealth of Virginia mandates that every transit operator in the Commonwealth have a Transit Development Plan (TDP). The plan must be updated annually and comprehensively revised every six years. The plan identifies transit needs in the County, as well as modifications to the system that will increase productivity or improve efficiency, and identifies the resources required for improving service. The plan makes County projects and services eligible for State funding, one of the County’s main funding sources for transit.

Responding to community concerns that service improvements may not support the Columbia Pike corridor’s growth and revitalization, the County Board also directed the County Manager to explore improvements to the Premium Transit Network such as customized bus vehicles, larger articulated buses and more frequent off-peak service that could encourage more people to use transit.

Bus improvements will serve all parts of the County

By summer 2020 the County plans to make the following improvements to bus service:

A new north-south connection between Rosslyn and Shirlington

More frequent service from Dunn Loring to Ballston, via Arlington Boulevard

More frequent service along Glebe Road

A new connection between Crystal City, National Airport and Shirlington

A new connection between Buckingham and the County’s Department of Human Services facility at Sequoia

The new TDP also includes innovative on-demand services to maintain connections in neighborhoods where bus ridership is low and demand does not warrant fixed route service. To be fiscally responsible, the plan calls for converting some Metrobus routes to lower cost Arlington Transit (ART) service and consolidating or shortening some bus routes.

The new services proposed in the TDP are dependent on resources appropriated through the County’s annual operating budget. For ART, the proposed services are estimated to cost an additional $10.6 million annually by fiscal year (FY) 2026. These additional operating costs are expected to be covered by additional fare revenue and state aid and savings from converting two Metrobus lines to lower-cost ART service. New Metrobus service called for in the TDP would cost an additional $7 million annually by FY 2026, which would be funded by County general funds, state aid and regional gas tax revenues. The TDP will be updated on an annual basis to reflect current needs and available resources.

Premium bus service planned for Columbia Pike, Pentagon City and Crystal City

A major feature of the plan is creation of a Premium Transit Network connecting Columbia Pike, Pentagon City and Crystal City. The premium network will offer bus service that is fast, frequent, reliable and easy to use, with features including simplified routes, increased weekday and weekend service, and a new one-seat bus ride from Skyline to Pentagon City-Crystal City.

In addition to new service, the Premium Transit Network includes new transit stations along Columbia Pike that will provide near-level boarding, longer platforms, real-time bus arrival information and off-vehicle fare collection. The premium service is planned to start in summer 2018, with transit stations and other amenities implemented in phases through 2021.

The premium network is designed to accommodate projected demand along Columbia Pike during the next six to ten years. As the corridor develops and more riders are attracted to the service, larger vehicles can be used to add capacity and meet the growing demand.

Community helped shape the plan

To develop the 10-year plan, the County surveyed Arlington residents about how they currently use transit and where they want to see improvements. More than 1,000 persons responded with comments on the draft recommendations, presented to the community in February. The feedback included strong support for additional off-peak and weekend service and new direct connections to activity centers. These comments and suggestions, along with extensive technical analysis of the County’s current bus service, helped shape the final TDP.

Community input timeline:

Spring 2015: Surveyed 3,396 people to get input on transit usage and needs, helping County staff to analyze existing system and service area.

Fall 2015: Hosted 406 people in four workshops and five focus groups; also hosted online input form, providing input on initial findings of technical analysis. With the input, staff prepared draft recommendations.

Winter 2016: More than 1,000 people participated in six workshops and via an online form, to provide input on the draft recommendations.

Next steps

This month, in addition to adopting the new TDP, the County Board will adopt a new Capital Improvement Plan that includes projects such as a heavy maintenance facility, new bus vehicles and transit system technologies needed to implement the bus service improvements.

Specific bus route changes will involve more public input before implementation.

The Arlington County Board today approved the Phase 6 site plan for the Metropolitan Park development in Pentagon City. Developer Vornado plans a new apartment building with of 577 units and 9,665 square feet of ground floor retail space.

The building will incorporate multiple rooflines with a maximum height of 22 stories. The community will gain three new open space areas, including the completion of the Metropolitan Park Central Park, a public courtyard open space and an enhanced streetscape treatment along S. Eads Street.

“We have seen previous phases of Metropolitan Park transform this area of Pentagon City from warehouses and parking lots to a vibrant, walkable place,” said County Board Chair Libby Garvey. “We look forward to its completion with the construction of Phase 6 and are particularly excited to see the completion of its Central Park for all to enjoy.”

The Board voted 5-0 to approve the site plan and PDSP (Phased Development Site Plan) amendment.

Pentagon City’s thriving mixed-use environment

The Pentagon City Phased Development Site Plan (PDSP) was approved by the County Board in February 25, 1976. It provided planning guidance to redevelop an approximately 112-acre industrial area into a thriving, mixed-use environment.

The Metropolitan Park development, part of the Pentagon City PDSP, includes 10 buildings across 16 acres that were previously warehouses or parking lots. In 2004, the County Board approved the first phase with recommendations that future phases be guided by the Metropolitan Park Design Guidelines.

Community process

The project underwent a community-based review process that included five Site Plan Review Committee (SPRC) meetings and two walking tours. The Transportation Commission and Planning Commission also reviewed the site plan application.

Additional community input was collected and reviewed to amend the Central Park design in a planning process coordinated by staff that included an open house, online survey and meetings with the Park and Recreation Commission. Comments and survey results received during community outreach indicated a desire for specific passive and active use elements, a combination of recreational amenities, dedicated play space for children, separate play space for dogs and shade structure, gardens and unique seating in passive areas.

Project-at-a-glance

Project:

2.81 acre site located at 1400 S. Eads St. and generally bounded by 13th St. S. to the north (to be constructed), S. Eads St to the east, 14th St. S. to the south (to be constructed) and the existing Metropolitan Park Central Park to the west.

New 22-story building with 574,974 square feet

577 dwelling units

9,665 square feet of retail

Underground parking

LEED Silver and Energy Reporting

Community Benefits

Three distinct open space areas, including the completion of the Metropolitan Park Central Park, a public courtyard open space and an enhanced streetscape treatment along S. Eads Street.

$75,000 public art contribution, or, commissioned public art on-site

Utility Underground Fund Contribution

Streetscape and utility improvements

Reimbursement for transportation and parking studies

Enhanced Transportation Demand Management, streetscape maintenance

Emergency responder communication and distribution infrastructure

Affordable housing cash contribution, or, 23 on-site affordable units

Applicant

1400 Eads St., Inc.; c/o Vornado Residential

Architect

Shalom Baranes Associates

]]>July 2016 County Board Meeting Agenda Highlightshttps://newsroom.arlingtonva.us/release/july-2016-county-board-meeting-agenda-highlights/
Mon, 11 Jul 2016 16:52:57 +0000https://newsroom.arlingtonva.us/?post_type=news_release&p=8731(CORRECTION: This release initially incorrectly listed the Community Development Authority Item (No. 56) on the Wednesday, July 20 Agenda. It is on the Tuesday, July 19 Agenda. The Founder’s Square item,(No. 54) originally listed on the Tuesday, July 19 Agenda, is on the Saturday, July 16 agenda.)

Arlington’s July Regular County Board Meeting will be held Saturday, July 16, 2016. The Recessed Meetings will be held Tuesday, July 18 and Wednesday, July 20.

Can’t make it? ATV, the County’s cable television station, provides gavel-to-gavel live coverage of County Board Meetings on Comcast 25 and Verizon 40. ATV also livestreams the meetings on the County website. See procedures for speaking at a Board Meeting on the website. Among the items the Board will consider:

Sat., July 16 Regular Meeting – View the agenda and read the staff reports on the website. Scroll down to find the item numbers listed below. (Note: some staff reports are not posted for several days after the agenda is available on the County website, but are always available before the Board Meeting.)

(Note: this meeting starts at 8:30 am with public comment.) Following public comment, the Board will consider the Consent Calendar items. Any items pulled from the Consent Calendar, either by members of the public or County Board members, will be heard at the Tuesday, June 21 Recessed County Board Meeting.

Transit Development Plan:

The Board will consider adopting a 10-year plan for improving bus service across the County. The plan includes the County’s blueprint for a new Premium Transit Network connecting Columbia Pike, Pentagon City and Crystal City. Item No. 55.

Proposed Pentagon City development:

The Board will consider a site plan for phase six of the Metropolitan Park development in Pentagon City. The site is part of the 116-acre area in Pentagon City for which the Board approved a Phased Development Site Plan in 1976. The area has been developed with a high-density mix of office, multi-family residential and retail uses. Developer Vornado now plans to construct an apartment building with 577 units and nearly 10,000 sq. ft. of ground floor retail space at 1400 Eads St. The proposed project includes three open space areas, including completion of the Metropolitan Park Central Park, a public courtyard open space, and enhanced streetscape along S. Eads Street. Item No. 53.

Proposed new option for Ballston development:

The Board will consider amending a site plan to allow the Shooshan Co. the option of developing a previously approved but unbuilt office building at 4040 Wilson Blvd. as a residential-retail building. The proposed development is part of the 5.35-acre Founder’s Square project. Four of the planned five buildings on the site have already been built. Item No. 54.

Proposed County, APS agreement to site a temporary fire station on the Wilson School site:

The Board will consider approving an agreement with Arlington Public Schools that would allow the County to site a temporary fire station on the Wilson School site, on Wilson Blvd. in Rosslyn. The agreement, if approved, would facilitate redevelopment envisioned in the Western Rosslyn Area Plan. View FAQs on the Wilson School site plan. Item No. 52.

Proposed support for the arts:

Fulfilling its ongoing commitment to support the arts in Arlington, the Board will consider awarding grants of money, facilities or technical services to a total of 29 arts organizations and two individual artists. The grants were recommended by the County Arts Commission. Item No.35. The Board also will consider funding the purchase of an Arts Truck to provide innovative cultural programming in the County’s major commercial corridors. Item No. 34.

Proposed parks improvements:

The Board will consider approving two contracts to improve County parks. One is for $1.03 million (including $103,499.96 contingency) to provide High View Park, at 1945 N. Dinwiddie St., with a new restroom and storage facilities; a new picnic shelter; new entrance and plaza on N. Dinwiddie St.; site furnishings; permeable paving; bleachers and steps to the basketball courts; regraded and irrigated sodded field; new Dark Sky lighting and more trees and plantings. Item No. 32.

The other contract, for $504,751.74 (including $40,055.68 contingency) is for renovating an athletic field in Bluemont Park, and building a new trail connector linking the park to Ashlawn Elementary School. Item No. 33.

Tues., July 19 Recessed County Board Meeting – View the agenda and read the staff reports for this meeting. Scroll down to find the items listed below.

At the 3 p.m. session: The County Board Chair, members of the Board and the County Manager will report on local and regional items of interest.

Manager to propose charge, membership structure for new working group on real estate tax relief:

The County Manager will put forward the charge and outline the membership structure for a new working group that will study real estate tax relief for seniors and persons with disabilities. The group will study the issue for approximately eight months and report back to the Manager with its findings.

No earlier than 6:30 p.m., the Board will consider any items pulled from Saturday’s Consent Calendar. In addition, no earlier than 6:45 p.m.:

Proposed 10-year Capital Improvement Program/2016 Bond Referenda:

The Board will adopt a Capital Improvement Program that will fund the County’s major infrastructure projects from FY 2017-FY 2026. The Board’s adoption of the CIP is the culmination of a months-long process of review and input from County departments, advisory commissions and the public. (As part of this discussion, the Board will consider the siting of Fire Station No. 8. Read the Task Force Final Report.) In a separate action, the Board will approve the 2016 Bond Referenda that will be put before voters on November 8. Items No. 57 and 58.

Proposed Community Development Authority:

The Board will consider creating a Community Development Authority (CDA) for the purpose of issuing bonds to help transform the aging Ballston Common Mall into Ballston Quarter, a dynamic shopping, dining and residential development in the heart of one of Arlington’s key urban villages. CDAs, commonly used by Virginia localities to fund public infrastructure investments and create incremental tax revenue growth, are a development tool authorized by state statute. Item No. 56.

Wed., July 20 Recessed County Board Meeting – View the agenda. (Note: This meeting will start at 6 p.m.)

Proposed Form Based Code residential development at 1201 South Rhodes Street, off Columbia Pike:

The Board will consider a proposed in-fill development by WashREIT Wellington LLC. South of Columbia Pike and east of South Scott Street. The development would include 401 multi-family dwelling units, and would be developed under the Form Based Code. The 711 market-rate apartments in three-mid-rise buildings now on the property would be retained, and the developer would add a new six-story building with 401 units, structured parking, a public mini-park and new public streets. Of the existing units, 105 will be converted to Committted Affordable Units – contractually obligated to remain affordable for decades. Item No. 61.

The Arlington County Board held a work session today on a plan to improve bus service Countywide over the next 10 years.

“Transit is critical to Arlington’s economic and environmental sustainability,” Arlington County Manager Mark Schwartz said. “This Transit Development Plan is our proposed blueprint for improving a bus network that already offers many options for residents, workers and visitors to get around the County and to make connections to the regional transit system. As our population – and that of our entire region – continues to grow – it is essential that we continue to attract more people to transit by offering outstanding service and reliability. We believe this plan will significantly improve transit across the County.”

The Commonwealth of Virginia mandates that every transit operator in the Commonwealth have a Transit Development Plan and update it every six years. Arlington’s proposed plan calls for adding, expanding or realigning bus routes and creating easier transfers to maximize accessibility to regional and local activity centers.

Extensive community input shaped bus service recommendations

To develop the 10-year proposal, the County surveyed Arlington residents about how they currently use transit and where they want to see improvements. Feedback on the draft recommendations, presented to the community in February, showed strong support for additional off-peak and weekend service and new direct connections to activity centers. This feedback, along with extensive technical analysis of the County’s current bus service, helped shape the final recommendations. Route-by-route details for the recommendations are available on the County website.

The plan recommends implementing the following bus service improvements by summer 2020:

A new north-south connection between Rosslyn and Shirlington

More frequent service from Dunn Loring to Ballston, via Arlington Boulevard

More frequent service along Glebe Road

A new connection between Crystal City, National Airport and Shirlington

A new connection between Buckingham and the County’s Department of Human Services facility at Sequoia

The plan also proposes innovative on-demand services to maintain connections in neighborhoods where bus ridership is low and demand does not warrant fixed route service. To be fiscally responsible, the draft TDP calls for converting some Metrobus routes to lower cost Arlington Transit (ART) service and consolidating or shortening some bus routes.

A major feature of the plan is the creation of a Premium Transit Network connecting Columbia Pike, Pentagon City and Crystal City. The premium network would offer bus service that is fast, frequent, reliable and easy to use, with features including simplified bus routes, increased weekday and weekend service, and a new one-seat ride from Skyline to Pentagon City-Crystal City.

In addition to new service, this Premium Transit Network would include new transit stations along Columbia Pike that provide near-level boarding, longer platforms, real-time bus arrival information and off-vehicle fare collection. The new premium service would start in summer 2018, with transit stations and other amenities implemented in phases through 2021.

Next steps

The County Board is expected to formally review and adopt the 10-Year Transit Development Plan (TDP) recommendations at a hearing during its July meeting. Also in July, the County Board will adopt a new Capital Improvement Plan, which will include any capital projects needed to implement the bus service improvements.

The community will have more opportunities, beyond those already provided, to give feedback on the final bus service recommendations at the County Board’s hearing on adoption of the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) on June 22 and at the Board’s hearing on adoption of the TDP on July 19.

With a ceremonial ribbon-cutting, Arlington County today marked the completion of the Crystal City Potomac Yard Transitway, the Washington area’s first dedicated bus-only lanes.

The 4.5-mile route will provide faster, more reliable bus service along the busy Route 1 corridor.

Arlington and the City of Alexandria jointly constructed the Transitway, which connects the Crystal City and Braddock Road Metrorail stations, and partnered with the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) to provide its new premium Metroway service on the dedicated lanes. Separating bus service from general traffic is expected to reduce travel times for bus trips from one end of the corridor to the other by up to 10 minutes, depending on direction and time of day.

“Along with our Alexandria and WMATA partners, we’re excited to be the first in this region to bring new dedicated lanes that will speed bus service and make transit a more attractive choice for residents and employees traveling along Route 1,” said Arlington County Board Chair Libby Garvey. “As our region continues to grow, it is critical that we find cost-effective ways to improve transit options – we believe this transitway will serve as a catalyst for more improvements to bus routes in Arlington and throughout the region.”

Garvey was joined at the ceremony by Alexandria Mayor Allison Silberberg and WMATA Assistant General Manager for Bus Services Robert Potts, who celebrated the regional partnership that brought the Transitway to fruition.

“The success of this project is a great example of the things we can achieve when we work together. This project is truly a joint effort by the City of Alexandria, Arlington County, and WMATA,” said Alexandria Mayor Alison Silberberg. “We had a shared vision for the Crystal City Potomac Yard corridor, and worked together closely to ensure the implementation of that vision. This transitway would not have come about without that coordination.”

“Since its opening, Metroway has attracted new riders and the route’s on-time performance is the highest in the entire Metrobus network. With the Arlington segment now open, Metroway will continue delivering quality service and set the standard for bus rapid transit projects in the region,” said Robert Potts, Assistant General Manager, Bus Services, WMATA. “The partnership between Arlington and Alexandria is a model for jurisdictions coming together to build the transit infrastructure needed to encourage new development.”

The project also represents a successful public-private partnership for the County, with property owners in Potomac Yard contributing land that made Arlington’s dedicated bus lanes possible.

2-1/4 miles of new bus lanes and seven new stations

Construction for Arlington’s Transitway section started in July 2014. The project included:

3/4 mile exclusive bus lanes in Potomac Yard – These lanes are reserved for transit and emergency vehicles at all times.

1-1/2 mile on-street rush hour bus lane in Crystal City – The lane on northbound Crystal Drive and southbound South Bell/Clark Street will be dedicated to transit vehicles and right-turning vehicles during peak travel hours (6 to 9 a.m. and 3:30 to 7 p.m. on weekdays only). All vehicles may use these lanes during off-peak times.

7 transit stations – Bus service in Crystal City and Potomac Yard will be consolidated at the new stations that are designed to make transit easier to use, with displays showing real-time bus arrival information, a higher curb for easier vehicle boarding, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility, canopies for weather protection, seating, lighting and wayfinding information.

In January the Arlington County Board approved an ordinance establishing the rules for how the bus-only lanes will be used and enforced.

Arlington Public Art and Virginia artist Barbara Bernstein created the public art for Arlington’s Transitway stations. The artwork on the station windscreen panels, entitled Connections, involves a simple line becoming an intricate, flowing interdependent pattern. Each station’s artwork is rendered in a unique color family, making each a distinct landmark.

W.M. Schlosser Company, a Maryland-based firm, served as the construction project’s general contractor. A combination of federal and state grants and a local dedicated transportation tax on Arlington’s commercial properties funded the $10.5 million construction contract.

New infrastructure supports growth and planned development

The Transitway will not only attract more bus riders, it provides infrastructure that will support planned development in Crystal City and Potomac Yard. During the next 10 years, significant growth is forecasted for these areas, with the population living in Crystal City expected to increase 25 percent and Potomac Yard growing by 58 percent. Investments in transportation infrastructure, such as the Transitway, connect residents to jobs, shopping and the region, and support the smart growth that has allowed Arlington to add population while decreasing traffic volumes on its roads.